NameCensus.

UK surname

Veal

An occupational surname referring to a calf farmer or one who works with calfskin.

In the 1881 census there were 1,817 people recorded with the Veal surname, ranking it #2,397 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,482, ranked #4,161, down from #2,397 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Lyndhurst. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, New Forest and Fenland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Veal is 1,899 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 18.4%.

1881 census count

1,817

Ranked #2,397

Modern count

1,482

2016, ranked #4,161

Peak year

1911

1,899 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Veal had 1,817 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,397 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,482 in 2016, ranked #4,161.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,899 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Veal surname distribution map

The map shows where the Veal surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Veal surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Veal over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 1,702 #1,697
1861 historical 1,192 #2,381
1881 historical 1,817 #2,397
1891 historical 1,722 #2,637
1901 historical 1,857 #2,831
1911 historical 1,899 #2,608
1997 modern 1,599 #3,702
1998 modern 1,610 #3,822
1999 modern 1,626 #3,811
2000 modern 1,601 #3,858
2001 modern 1,561 #3,869
2002 modern 1,592 #3,875
2003 modern 1,544 #3,897
2004 modern 1,528 #3,937
2005 modern 1,477 #4,017
2006 modern 1,452 #4,073
2007 modern 1,477 #4,057
2008 modern 1,481 #4,078
2009 modern 1,510 #4,093
2010 modern 1,537 #4,115
2011 modern 1,530 #4,086
2012 modern 1,508 #4,064
2013 modern 1,533 #4,073
2014 modern 1,545 #4,072
2015 modern 1,513 #4,106
2016 modern 1,482 #4,161

Geography

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Where Veals are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Lyndhurst and Southampton St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, New Forest, Fenland, Westend and Rotherham. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Lyndhurst Hampshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Southampton St Mary Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 054 Cornwall
2 New Forest 019 New Forest
3 Fenland 003 Fenland
4 Westend Dundee City
5 Rotherham 022 Rotherham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Veal

These lists show first names that appear often with the Veal surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Veal

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Veal, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Veal surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Veal household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Veal is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Veal is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Veal falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Veal is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Veal, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Veal

The surname Veal is an English occupational name derived from the Old French word "veel" or "vel," meaning a calf or veal. The name originated in medieval England, likely referring to someone who raised or sold calves and veal.

The first recorded instances of the Veal surname can be traced back to the late 13th century in various parts of England, such as Essex, Oxfordshire, and Lincolnshire. The name appeared in various spellings, including Veel, Veale, and Veyel, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time.

One of the earliest documented references to the Veal surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1290, where a William Veel is mentioned. Another early record is from the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1279, which lists a John Veel.

In the 14th century, the Veal surname appeared in several historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a Roger Veel is listed, and the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1317, which mentions a Robert Veel.

Notable individuals with the Veal surname throughout history include Sir Benjamin Veal (1588-1668), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Lostwithiel in Cornwall during the 17th century. Another prominent figure was Thomas Veal (1670-1737), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Worlington in Suffolk.

In the 18th century, John Veal (1736-1813) was a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolutionary Wars. He achieved the rank of Admiral and played a significant role in several naval engagements.

Moving into the 19th century, Charles Veal (1818-1895) was an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Kent County Cricket Club. He was known for his batting prowess and scored over 6,000 runs in his career.

Another notable figure with the Veal surname was Florence Veal (1868-1932), an American journalist and writer who was a prominent advocate for women's rights and suffrage in the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Veal families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Veal surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Cornwall leads with 323 Veals recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.97x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 323 15.97x
Hampshire 219 5.98x
Somerset 181 6.30x
Middlesex 171 0.96x
Devon 162 4.36x
Lincolnshire 98 3.43x
Surrey 84 0.97x
Yorkshire 74 0.42x
Gloucestershire 67 1.91x
Norfolk 54 1.97x
Staffordshire 42 0.70x
Lancashire 35 0.17x
Worcestershire 33 1.41x
Durham 22 0.41x
Glamorgan 22 0.71x
Huntingdonshire 20 5.64x
Bedfordshire 18 1.95x
Oxfordshire 18 1.63x
Warwickshire 18 0.40x
Cambridgeshire 17 1.50x
Kent 17 0.28x
Herefordshire 16 2.18x
Sussex 16 0.53x
Dorset 15 1.28x
Northamptonshire 13 0.77x
Channel Islands 12 2.27x
Northumberland 10 0.38x
Monmouthshire 9 0.70x
Wiltshire 8 0.51x
Essex 7 0.20x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.37x
Morayshire 4 1.44x
Lanarkshire 3 0.05x
Royal Navy 3 1.41x
Shropshire 3 0.19x
Suffolk 3 0.14x
Anglesey 2 0.63x
Cumberland 2 0.13x
Berkshire 1 0.07x
Brecknockshire 1 0.28x
Derbyshire 1 0.04x
Leicestershire 1 0.05x
Midlothian 1 0.04x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Ives in Cornwall leads with 134 Veals recorded in 1881 and an index of 338.64x.

Place Total Index
St Ives 134 338.64x
Lyndhurst 53 528.41x
St Just In Penwith 42 107.06x
Lambeth 41 2.63x
Wellow 33 390.07x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 31 9.40x
Southampton St Mary 26 11.29x
Falmouth 24 33.53x
Hilgay 24 232.33x
Louth 24 36.67x
Plymouth St Andrew 24 8.38x
Keynsham 23 111.38x
St Mary Extra 23 78.07x
Gwinear 20 208.55x
Millbrook 20 21.69x
Willenhall 20 17.71x
St Marylebone London 18 1.89x
Bedminster 16 5.92x
Stoke Damerel 16 6.15x
Battersea 15 2.28x
Hackney London 15 1.50x
Islington London 14 0.81x
Ugborough 14 155.73x
Calstock 13 32.78x
Midsomer Norton 13 47.99x
Whitechapel London 13 7.38x
Brislington 12 223.88x
Chelsea London 12 2.23x
South Stoneham 12 15.11x
Stowford 12 500.00x
Harborne 11 5.69x
Hound 11 44.27x
Iffley 11 118.15x
Revelstoke 11 326.41x
Southampton All Sts 11 17.51x
St Martin In Fields 11 10.29x
St Sampson 11 46.12x
Camborne 10 12.00x
Camerton 10 119.47x
Constantine 10 84.96x
East Stonehouse 10 13.65x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 10 20.27x
Milton 10 109.89x
Ormesby 10 21.02x
St Columb Major 10 59.59x
Gaywood 9 182.56x
Haydock 9 24.64x
Otley 9 20.94x
Ramsgate 9 9.05x
Roath 9 6.37x
St Mary Magdalene 9 60.57x
Whitchurch 9 291.26x
Aberdare 8 3.75x
Darlington 8 3.90x
Dorrington 8 329.22x
Horfield 8 22.70x
Luton 8 5.00x
Radstock 8 42.33x
Upperswinford 8 40.53x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 7 11.56x
Christchurch 7 8.82x
Foxcote 7 1891.89x
Goodmanham 7 366.49x
Hail Weston 7 328.64x
Hatherleigh 7 75.68x
Holdenhurst 7 7.29x
Kimberworth 7 7.13x
Little Malvern 7 1076.92x
Marksbury 7 496.45x
North Petherwyn 7 133.33x
Paddington London 7 1.07x
Shoreditch London 7 0.90x
St Pancras London 7 0.49x
Stedham 7 211.48x
Thimbleby 7 368.42x
Walcot 7 4.57x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 7 30.24x
Whitstone 7 278.88x
Woolhope 7 153.51x
Farcett 6 137.61x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Veal surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 127
Elizabeth 95
Sarah 66
Ann 33
Jane 33
Emma 32
Emily 29
Alice 26
Ellen 26
Eliza 22
Maria 20
Martha 20
Annie 19
Louisa 19
Harriet 14
Ada 13
Caroline 11
Charlotte 10
Edith 10
Grace 10
Hannah 10
Margaret 10
Rebecca 10
Catherine 8
Florence 8
Elizth. 7
Frances 7
Isabella 7
Lucy 7
Fanny 6
Kate 6
Laura 6
Lavinia 6
Matilda 6
Agnes 5
Amelia 5
Bessie 5
Clara 5
Harriett 5
Julia 5
Selina 5
Sophia 5
Susan 5
Anna 4
Anne 4
Cath. 4
Ethel 4
Jessie 4
Rose 4
Levenia 3

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Veal surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 131
John 105
George 61
Thomas 53
Henry 50
Charles 35
James 34
Joseph 26
Richard 25
Samuel 20
Alfred 18
Edward 16
Robert 16
Albert 15
Arthur 15
Frederick 15
Harry 13
Benjamin 11
Daniel 9
Stephen 9
Walter 9
Ernest 8
Frank 7
Peter 7
Sidney 7
Christopher 6
Thos. 5
Francis 4
Herbert 4
Philip 4
Wm. 4
Edwin 3
Fredrick 3
Mathew 3
Nicholas 3
Oliver 3
Sydney 3
Willie 3
Amos 2
Archibald 2
Chas. 2
David 2
Earnest 2
Frederic 2
Mark 2
Matthew 2
Michael 2
Reuben 2
Richd. 2
Saml. 2

FAQ

Veal surname: questions and answers

How common was the Veal surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,817 people were recorded with the Veal surname. That placed it at #2,397 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Veal surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,482 in 2016. That gives Veal a modern rank of #4,161.

What does the Veal surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a calf farmer or one who works with calfskin.

What does the Veal map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Veal bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.